OK, so I managed to kill Phalanx and got all my  health back, but I died soon afterwards. When I went back to pick up my souls, my health didn't come back and I realized that I have to kill another boss to get it back again. Is the game supposed to be like that (meaning that you're supposed to keep going to half-health as a death penalty throughout the whole game), or is there some way to avoid this after you kill Phalanx. If any of you guys know, or if there's another such thread that was already posted here, could you help me out and answer me or direct me there? Thanks ^^

Half-health is the penalty you're supposed to receive for dying.

You can use Stones of Ephemereal Eyes to get to Human Form; however, you take away more in Soul Form, and normally if you get killed in one hit in Soul Form, you would be fucked in Human Form anyway.
 
Also, health is for pussies.

"  Also, health is for pussies. "

seek out the   Stones of Ephemereal Eyes. Use them only when you reeeeally need them. This early in the game, being in soul form isnt so bad.

While in soul form you have half-health(Unless you wear the cling ring then you have 75%), do more damage, take less damage, and you make less noise. In body form you have full health, take more damage, deal less damage, have both ring slots, can summon blue phantoms, and can be invaded. Overall soul form is better till you feel confident enough that you can defend yourself from black phantoms, though you get a good chunk of souls from bps.

" @dbz1995 said:

"  Also, health is for pussies. "

Video games in general, and particularly Demon's souls teach us this valuable lesson  "

When you're in soul form you have the added benefit of being quieter don't you? I just see half-health as full-health instead.

thanks for all the help guys. also, while we're on the subject, i have to go to the mines after i finish the first half of the boletarian palace, right?

" While in soul form you have half-health(Unless you wear the cling ring then you have 75%), do more damage, take less damage, and you make less noise. In body form you have full health, take more damage, deal less damage, have both ring slots, can summon blue phantoms, and can be invaded. Overall soul form is better till you feel confident enough that you can defend yourself from black phantoms, though you get a good chunk of souls from bps. "

" @wealllikepie: You go there after the tower knight. "

@CowMuffins said:

" @Radium:  Does the 6th rock thing ever become undestroyed? "

 
I've been wondering that myself, I've complete the game 3 times now and I've never seen any indication of it being repaired. I'd expect it may become available through DLC, or its just one of demon's souls many secrets i haven't uncovered yet/

I just looked at the Demon's Souls Wiki page (the official one) and it said nothing about dealing more damage while in soul form. The dealing more or less damage and lower or higher HP depends on the world tendency.  "

Throw down a blue soul sign, join someone else's game, help him/her kill the boss, and get back your body.  Though I personally find soul form a more preferable method of fighting my way through stages (extra damage, cannot be invaded by a black phantom), and only pop a stone of ephemeral eyes on bosses. 
 
@Toxic said:

" @Mordukai said:

I just looked at the Demon's Souls Wiki page (the official one) and it said nothing about dealing more damage while in soul form. The dealing more or less damage and lower or higher HP depends on the world tendency.  "

Well you can get a ring from the monumental so you will do more damage as a phantom "

My biggest reason (for now at least) for not using body form is that if you die your world tendency goes towards black, makes it very hard to get pure white tendency! That is my main reason for not fighting in body form at all for the moment, once I have gotten the pure white specific stuff then i'll probably go pure black and get those goodies and will start using body form more :)